Plates

Hot-rolled steel plates of thickness 4.75 mm or more

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 25 10 (hot-rolled pickled plates of thickness 4.75 mm or more) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024. Conformity to the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of S.O. 3716(E) is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024. Steel Import Monitoring System registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

7208 25 10

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS mapped in Schedule 1 of S.O. 3716(E) · effective 29-08-2024

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

SIMSSIMS·Steel Import Monitoring System

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer whose licence covers hot-rolled steel plates at 4.75 mm thickness and above under Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, thickness range, and manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
2
Ensure each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. The ISI mark must appear on the product itself; marking on packaging alone is insufficient.
Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500; the automatic registration number remains valid for 75 days. Apply on the SIMS portal and retain the registration number for customs filing.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · Policy Condition 5 of Chapter 72
4
If importing seconds or defective HR plates, obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate and comply with the applicable port and value restrictions. Prime steel items are subject to price restrictions as specified in the Madras High Court order dated 21-01-2004 in W.P. Nos. 38864 and 38865 of 2003.
Policy Conditions 1, 2 and 3 of Chapter 72 · ITC (HS) Import Policy
5
For any consignment imported without a BIS licence or certification, apply for clarification on the TCQCO portal before customs clearance, as mandated by MoS Circular dated 20-10-2023. Quote the CM/L number and SIMS registration number on the bill of entry; absent or scope-mismatched references trigger consignment detention.
MoS Circular dated 20-10-2023 vide F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023

A word of counsel

The most consequential oversight on this tariff line is assuming that S.O. 5134(E) deferred enforcement applies to this product without verifying the specific Schedule 1 serial number assigned to hot-rolled plates of 4.75 mm and above. S.O. 5134(E) suspends enforcement only for the serial numbers it enumerates; if this product's Schedule 1 entry is not among those listed, the 29 August 2024 enforcement date under S.O. 3716(E) remains operative and import of unmarked, unlicensed plates constitutes a statutory violation under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016. Confirm the product's Schedule 1 serial number against the gazette text of S.O. 5134(E) before treating the deferral as applicable.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 25 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. Hot-rolled steel plates of 4.75 mm thickness and above fall under Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)); import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024.

Is Steel Import Monitoring System registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 and is independent of the BIS CM/L requirement. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days; apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

Does S.O. 5134(E) defer enforcement for this specific HSN?

S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspends enforcement only for the specific Schedule 1 serial numbers it enumerates for a period of three years. Whether this tariff item's serial number is among those listed must be verified against the gazette text; the deferral is not blanket across all Schedule 1 entries.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all thicknesses and widths of hot-rolled plates?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by thickness range, width, manufacturing facility, and product grade; plates outside the licensed dimensional or grade scope are not covered and will be detained on a scope mismatch at the BIS online register.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: BIS / SIMS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.